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Technology Stocks : The New QLogic (ANCR) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Gus who wrote (27474)	7/12/2000 5:26:58 PM
From: Logain Ablar	Respond to of 29386

Thread: AMCC news below. Check out their revenue, earnings & stock price. Message 14035703 Makes you wonder with ANCR reporting on Tuesday and QLGC Wednesday what can happen. jinxthestock.com

To: Gus who wrote (27474)	7/12/2000 5:28:37 PM
From: Gus	Respond to of 29386

SAN Backbone Device Quality of Connection With the SAN Quality of Connection classification matrix defined, it becomes a straightforward task to classify types of interconnect devices according totheir QoC potential as SAN backbone devices. Table 5 presents this classification matrix as defined by Strategic Research Corporation in the Strategic Profile referenced earlier. QoC class and architecture descriptions in this matrix match those in Table 4. Since QoC Classes 2 and 3 rely on the redundancy of paths and interconnect devices to achieve their respective availability-of-connection targets, fault-tolerant features in backbone devices are not required for these classes. However, adding fault-tolerant features such as redundant, hot-swappable power and cooling will certainly improve quality of service by increasing connection availability and reducing performance degradation. A single Director may be used in lieu of redundant fabric switches to achieve Class 3 service levels. In order to reach Class 4 QoC, backbone devices must be consistently upgradable and repairable or replaceable within the 53-minute availability- of-connection window guaranteed by Class 4. They must also meet the Class 4 performance degradation guarantee of 500 annual path-minutes maximum. These guarantees are nearly impossible to meet unless backbone devices are designed for continuous operation. Redundant Directors achieve this QoC class today, and future fabric switches with enhanced designs may be able to achieve it as well. Class 5 QoC backbone devices must clearly be capable of delivering continuous operation by protecting all critical components with redundancy, automatic failover, and hot replacement. Port cards must have minimal granularity and be hot-swappable to meet the performance degradation specification. In addition, code must be upgradable while the device is in full operation. Only under these conditions can a backbone device meet the stringent availability and performance criteria of Class 5 QoC. Currently, a Director is the only interconnect device offering these features. Designing a SAN As a rule, SANs should always be designed with the application in mind. Specific service goals should be set by the application's requirements for availability, performance, and scalability, rather than dictating one service level for the entire infrastructure. If not, excessive costs will likely be incurred for applications that don't require the same class of service needed by critical applications. Conversely, undercapitalizing the SAN infrastructure will lead to poor application service. Using SAN QoC by application ensures the lowest cost and greatest probability of success. Once the requirements of the application are determined, the QoC classification matrix shown in Table 4 or 5 specifies the SAN architecture required to achieve that quality of service. For example, if an application needs Class 5 QoC, a SAN employing redundant Directors and redundant paths with path failover is required. No other architecture meets this need. Table 5 – SAN Backbone Device Quality of Connection Source: Strategic Research Corporation QoC Class Architecture Description Minimum Device Capability Current Device Implementation QoC Class 1 Architecture Description: Failure sensitive - no redundancy Miminum Device Capability: No critical components are redundant with automatic failover Current Device Implementation: Single Hub QoC Class 2 Architectural Description: Failure resilient - partially redundant paths - partially redundant interconnects Minimum Device Capability: No critical components are redundant with automatic failover Current Device Implementation: Redundant switched hubs, EPL switches or fabric switches QoC Class 3 Architectural Description: Failure resilient - fully redundant paths - fully redundant or fault tolerant interconnects Minimum Device Capability: If redundant interconnects, no critical components are redundant with automatic failover; otherwise, fault tolerant features are required Current Device Implementation: Redundant fabric switches or single Director QoC Class 4 Architectural Description: Failure tolerant - fully redundant paths - fully redundant interconnects - backbone interconnects fault tolerant Minimum Device Capability: All critical components are redundant with automatic failover Current Device Implementation: Redundant Directors QoC Class 5 Architectural Description: Fault tolerant - fully redundant paths - fully redundant interconnects - all interconnects fault tolerant Minimum Device Capability: All critical components are redundant with automatic failover Current Device Implementation: Redundant Directors mcdata.com

To: Gus who wrote (27474)	7/12/2000 9:19:18 PM
From: J Fieb	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 29386

Gus, I think that class of service for the director is referring to a subject near and dear to all the hearts of ANCR holders, that is old history now. These are the FC definitions. No one needs Class 1, but Iband suggests that ANCRs past class 1 pioneering was valuable after all? All the SAN FC biz is class 2/3 Class 1 CONTEXT [Fibre Channel] A connection-oriented class of communication service in which the entire bandwidth of the link between two ports is dedicated for communication between the ports and not used for other purposes. Also known as dedicated connection service. Class 1 service is not widely implemented. cf. intermix Class 2 CONTEXT [Fibre Channel] A connectionless Fibre Channel communication service which multiplexes frames from one or more N_Ports or NL_Ports. Class 2 frames are explicitly acknowledged by the receiver, and notification of delivery failure is provided. This class of service includes end to end flow control. Class 3 CONTEXT [Fibre Channel] A connectionless Fibre Channel communication service which multiplexes frames to or from one or more N_Ports or NL_Ports. Class 3 frames are datagrams, that is they are not explicitly acknowledged, and delivery is on a "best effort" basis. Class 4 CONTEXT [Fibre Channel] A connection-oriented class of communication service in which a fraction of the bandwidth of the link between two ports is dedicated for communication between the ports. The remaining bandwidth may be used for other purposes. Class 4 service supports bounds on the maximum time to deliver a frame from sender to receiver. Also known as fractional service. Class 4 service is not widely implemented. Class 6 CONTEXT [Fibre Channel] A connection-oriented class of communication service between two Fibre Channel ports that provides dedicated unidirectional connections for reliable multicast. Also known as uni-directional dedicated connection service. Class 6 service is not widely implemented. class of service CONTEXT [Networking] [Fibre Channel] A mechanism for managing traffic in a network by specifying message or packet priority. The characteristics and guarantees of the transport layer of a Fibre Channel circuit. Fibre Channel classes of service include: connection services (Classes 1), guaranteed frame delivery with end to end flow control (Class 2), packetized frame datagrams (Class 3), quality of service sub-channels (e.g., constant sub rate or constant latency) (Class 4). Different classes of service may simultaneously exist in a fabric. The form and reliability of delivery in Class 3 circuits may vary with the topology. Different classes of service may simultaneously exist in a fabric. The identification and grouping of data packets based on a priority label (in the packet header) or via other mechanisms (such as "per hop behavior", defined by the IETF's Differentiated Services). Notice that HWP qualified the HA ANCR products that have The SANbox-16HA includes all the features of Ancor's standard 16-port switch, plus optional dual redundant power supplies. The data center will want components that have lots of redundancy. I watched the SUNW webcast on the T3. In our town we have a few streets in the historic part of town made of brick. SUNW concept is similar in that they rolled out one of the little bricks and then at the end they showed a giant wall built of the same unit. I think they will sell them. I don't agree with the storage arguments on SI that say So and so can't sell against company x. The market data suggests that both SUNW and EMC could take market share from lots of others, double their sales to current customers, thus growing for some years without coming face to face in the arena. The incumbents tend to remain in office a long time. Everyone supports switched fabric now except for IBM and it looks like they will limp out of the gate next month.